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Access Center- Student Disability Support Services

Tutorials on Creating Accessible Course Material

Creating Accessible PDF Files

PDF

The Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) provides a convenient way to transport, view, and print electronic documents. PDF files can be created in other applications like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint or they can be produced by scanning a hard copy print document. An accessible PDF document will contain text (as opposed to image only) as well as structure to allow students using various forms of technology to read the content contained in the PDF. A universally designed PDF helps you avoid technological barriers that may inhibit your students’ ability to obtain important information the document.

Use the tutorials below to learn how to create universally designed PDFs.

Excel

Excel documents have a clearly defined structure and are therefore easier to navigate. They offer information in multiple formats, which ensures equal access to information contained in images, objects, and tables. They follow guidelines designed to improve readability and comprehension.

Excel Accessibility Tutorials

Multimedia Accessibility

Multimedia instructional materials add richness to the higher education learning experience. Videos, podcasts and animations are popular with many students, who find them to be an engaging supplement to traditional lectures.

Despite their popularity and ubiquity in modern culture, however, multimedia can present serious challenges for learners with disabilities. Perhaps the biggest challenge is related to captioning.

The Educational Technology Center, www.msudenver.edu/etc on campus can assist in adding captioning to videos.

If you would like further assistance with creating accessible course material please contact the Access Center, 303-615-0200.